Get a grip on Biology

Name: Curtis Okemwa OkeigaReg No: Btmb/059J/2012Title: Assignment 2: Application Of Biotechnology In ForestryCourse: Industrial Microbiology and BiotechnologyUnit: Cell, Tissue and Organ CultureDate: 5/12/14APPLICATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN FORESTRYHow Biotechnology can reduce the Impact on Natural Forests Today, managed tree plantations provide only about a third of the worlds need for wood and wood products. The remainder comes from other sources, including natural forests. Clearly, if tree plantations produce more, less will be needed from natural forests. For example, loblolly pinethe major pulp species in the southeast United Stateshas a rotation of about 25 years. A 5-year reduction in time to harvest would have a tremendous impact over time on total cellulose production per acre. Genetic research, including biotechnology, holds promise to produce faster-growing trees and to increase the cellulose content of individual trees. Eucalyptus, another major source of pulp for paper manufacture, has been manipulated to grow faster through advancements in tree biotechnology. In the Pacific Northwest, by crossing the easter